Slumgullion

Ronnie Wood continues to share the joys of performing as one of The Rolling Stones via his amazing artwork. His latest piece, Stones Through The Ages, honors the band’s 60-year career, and depicts himself, Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, and Mick Taylor. It’s available in limited edition, autographed and numbered prints. The large size is priced at $3675.00, and the medium size goes for $925.00.

There will be a triple bill at Montrose Saloon tomorrow (Saturday) night; with the copy bands The Mock 5ive and The Undercovers, along with the Americana band Terry White And The Loaded Dice. The music starts at 8:00 pm with Terry White.

There was an official announcement yesterday that Farm Aid 2022 will take place on September 23, but the location and full lineup won’t be revealed until late July. We do know that Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, and Margo Price will be involved.

 

PravdaFest: 38th Anniversary kicked off tonight at the Sketchbook Brewing Company in Skokie. The event marks 38 years of Pravda Records releasing groundbreaking indie music albums. Pravda recording acts Josh Caterer, Steve Dawson, Hushdrops, and Boom Hank are scheduled for tonight; with The Slugs, The Service, Diplomats Of Sound, and The Handcuffs slated for tomorrow. Alt rock DJ VanOsdol will serve as MC. Food will be available to purchase. Sketchbook Brewing Company is located at 4901 Main Street in Skokie.

The soundtrack to the critically acclaimed Summer Of Soul ( . . . When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) documentary is now available as a four-CD set. Recorded at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, the album features performances by The Chambers Brothers; B.B. King; The 5th Dimension;  David Ruffin; The Edward Hawkins Singers; The Staples Singers; Gladys Knight and The Pips; Mongo Santamaria; Herbie Mann; Sly And The Family Stone; Nina Simone; and other artists.

Blues great Mavis Staples will headline this year’s Hot Stove Cool Music benefit concert event at Metro next Friday, July 1. Other performers scheduled include Juliana Hatfield; Ted Leo; Scott Lucas from Local H; baseball star/guitarist Bernie Williams; broadcaster Peter Gammons; Will Dailey; the Chicago and Boston Hot Stove All Stars; Red Sox organist Josh Kantor; and the Chicago Children’s Choir. WXRT air personality Lin Brehmer will once again serve as MC, along with Joel Murray. 100% of the proceeds will go to The Foundation To Be named Later College Scholarships.

Last night’s gig at SPACE was the final curtain for Sunshine Boys, a short-lived but consistently impressive Chicago-based trio that recorded two albums and a few singles. You can find all of this fine music on their Bandcamp page. I wasn’t able to make it to last night’s show, but judging from the comments on Facebook, it was a truly emotional experience.

I saw Sunshine Boys a few times over the past few years—the first as part of a Power Pop Shoppe Showcase at Elbo Room on Lincoln Avenue and the last at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights—and was impressed with their meaningful lyrics and expertly crafted melodies. I would still say “Only A Million Miles” was the best song recorded by anyone in 2018. May its message continue to inspire us.

 

Sunshine Boys drummer Freda Love Smith has one more live performance left on her schedule, and it will be at the above mentioned Hot Stove, Cool Music benefit. “I'll end my career the way I started it,” she stated in a social media post. “Drumming (on a couple songs) with my amazing rock sister, Juliana Hatfield. I know there's no crying in baseball, but I can't promise anything.”

The Country Music Hall Of Fame in Nashville, TN recently announced an upcoming exhibition that will celebrate musicians who mixed country with rock and roll from the 1960s through the 1980s. Western Edge - The Roots And Reverberations Los Angeles Country-Rock kicks off on September 30 with a live concert featuring Dave Alvin from The Blasters; Rodney Dillard from The Dillards; Richie Furay from Buffalo Springfield and Poco; Jeff Hanna from Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; Chris Hillman from The Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers; and several other performers. The exhibit will honor artists such as The Byrds; Buffalo Springfield; The Flying Burrito Brothers; Poco The Eagles, Emmylou Harris; Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; and Linda Ronstadt, and run at the Country Music Hall Of Fame for the next three years.

Phil Angotti And Friends (Casey McDonough, John San Juan, Dick Schmidt and John Perrin) will perform the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album, along with other 1967 songs, during a Beatles Brunch at City Winery Chicago this Sunday, June 26. Doors open at 11:00 am and the event starts at noon.

 

Prince: The Immersive Experience, is now open at The Shops At North Bridge In Chicago. The official website promises 10 multidimensional spaces, and an opportunity to “step inside the iconic Purple Rain album cover.” A portion of the proceeds will benefit the After School Matters charity.

The Deer Park Art Show is taking place at the Deer Park Town Center in Deer Park tomorrow and Sunday, and will feature 70 artists and live music.

Cruise Nights are coming back to the Randhurst Village shopping mall. The events feature live music, food, and vintage cars. The dates are June 23, July, 21, and August 18, 4:00 to 8:00 pm. 

The Ridge Park Art Fair and Uprising Solstice Market will take place tomorrow, June 25 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm at Ridge Park on Chicago’s south side. The event is being held by the Ridge Park Advisory Council and Beverly Arts Alliance. Ridge Park is just north of 95th Street, near Longwood Drive. 

Modern English will perform at the Raue Center For The Arts in Crystal Lake this Sunday, June 26.

Waco Brothers have a show at SPACE in Evanston next Thursday, June 30. 

The Shakespeare Project Of Chicago will offer a special presentation titled 50-Minute Hamlet at the Library Plaza outside the Des Plaines Public Library this Monday, June 27 at 7:00 pm. The event, sponsored by Friends of the Library, was adapted and directed by Jeff Christian and stars Kayla Carter and Shane Kenyon. Seating is limited, so those interested in attending need to register via the Des Plaines Library website. 

 

There will be live rock in Long Grove this weekend, June 24 —26, when several bands perform as part of the annual Strawberry Fest. Parking can be difficult for these more popular Long Grove events, so organizers have set up a shuttle service from the Buffalo Grove Park District parking lot, at 530 Bernard Drive in Buffalo Grove.

The Eclectic Full Contact Theatre Company is performing Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons through June 26 at the Skokie Theatre.